THE YOUNG NATUEALIST. 



M. rubiginata is another species that runs down in intermediate varieties, to 

 the plumbata of Curtis imperceptibly, whilst C. corylata seems permanent in 

 England, in Scotland it assumes all sorts of intermediate forms to the albo-cre- 

 nata of Curtis. I will not treat on russata further than to say the Isle of Arran 

 form being permanent, I have called it consolidata because I think every one 

 of its forms are pressed into this. Immanata from Hoy seem to be fast pass- 

 ing into a small dark form not unlike it, but in notes on intermediate 

 varieties I cannot omit Cidaria pqpulata, which may always be taken on high 

 hills where its food grows, on early rocks it varies in regular gradations, 

 from light yellow ochre to rich unicolorous dark brown, on millstone grit it 

 never gets brown. 



I rush on to Noctuse, Linn. Xy. polyodon has every intermediate variety 

 from light ashy to rich brown. Chareas graminis is a very variable species, 

 variety Hybernica and its varieties are common in Lancashire. L. testacea 

 is another variable species ; Crymodus exulis another, dark brown in Scot- 

 land, lighter -further north; Apamea gemina, fibrosa and oculea; several 

 Agrotis are especially so. T. fimbria, orbona, and pronuba all vary greatly; 

 whilst Festiva stands now about the top for intermediate variation; 

 whilst for beauty of intermediate variation Pachiobia alpina takes first 

 place ; whilst T. gothicina variety of gothica, have never two specimens 

 alike. T. opima is a most variable species, whilst Xanthia cerago varies 

 in regular gradations from its yellow citron plain form to rich speckled 

 specimens. Now for Lionthaccea carpop7iaga, on chalk it is light fawn 

 or buff, on limestone darker, on Cambrian darker still ; whilst on early 

 rock, quartoize or granite, it is rich dark ochreous browns to cold often 

 purplish browns ; my series of two rows run imperceptibly into each other, 

 from/ a pure pale buff specimen to a rich dark almost black series, say about 

 60 specimens, with every intermediate variety. The next species I think of 

 of as having intermediate varieties is Epunda viminalis, my series varies from 

 bright silvery light, gradually to rich smoke black. Like Mr. Eobson I 

 could go on ad nauseum, if I have not already done so, but holding that 

 what is worth doing is worth doing thoroughlv, I will just remind our young 

 friends that any one who knows Peronea cristana, P. hastiana or Lepto- 

 gramma literana should never say there are no intermediate varieties amongst 

 the Lepidoptera. 



Rose Bank, Fletcher Grove, Liverpool. 



